Categories: Car Reviews

On American roads, the 2008–2013 Volvo C30 is a bit of a unicorn. It's a sexy three-door hatchback that offers loads of style and a surprising amount of performance. Problem was, it was built by your mother's favorite car company, and nobody outside of her garden club even knew that it existed. Which is too bad, because this Volvo P1800 successor had a lot to offer...

Back in 1990, engines were still measured in cubic inches, and single-digit fuel economy didn't matter. It was a glorious time; to celebrate, Chevrolet unleashed a big-block sport version of its wildly popular Silverado pickup truck. This black beast had sinister looks, a wild exhaust note, and an ozone-chomping 454 cu-in V8 under the hood. America's Heartbeat had definitely skipped a few beats...

For some people, a sportscar is just too small, and a Camry is just too boring. A BMW M5 would be the natural family car choice. But if you're reading this article, then you already know that you can't afford one. Driving pleasure is still within your reach, however, because, once upon a time, Mazda decided to become the 'BMW of Japan'. In 2003, they created the midsize Mazda 6, and, like most Bimmers, it drives just as it looks...

In this series, we usually talk about affordable cars that'll still make you look good. The Toyota Solara Convertible, however, will only make you look good... in Florida. It's not that it's an ugly car, it's just that Toyota lopped the top off—for the sake of lopping the top off. And that kind of logic works only in the Sunshine State, where you will definitely look like you're ballin'...

When most car companies build a car, they look at prevailing market trends, then design a car that meet customer demand. Subaru... doesn't. They get a drum of saké, invite the guys from the Swiss Army Knife factory, then come up with some multi-purpose survival tool that has 4-wheel drive and a big honkin' turbo. Such is the case with the 2003–2006 Subaru Baja, a car-truck hybrid that's brilliantly insane...

The traditional 'hot hatchback' is designed for the young person who wants to haul their friends and stuff, while also hauling a certain part of the human anatomy. The Volkswagen Golf R32, on the other hand, doesn't have FWD, and it doesn't look like it came in a cereal box. It has 4-wheel drive, a big engine, and a luxurious interior. Oh yeah, it's also ballistic fast, which makes it a hatch from hell...

The Subaru Outback is a station wagon that's like an SUV that's pretending to be a luxury car. Or put it another way, it's a cross-dressing mountain goat that thinks it's an opera singer. But if you live in a place that has a lot of snow, rain, or muddy dirt roads, this automotive contradiction is one beater that's hard to beat.

In this episode, we're going to talk about the 2012-2014 Dodge Avenger R/T—a sleeper car that can make a grown Ricer cry like a teething toddler. If you don't know what a sleeper car is, just go to Google and type in "Martha Stewart cupcake recipes". If you do know what a sleeper car is, then read on. Because you just found your next cheap thrill...

"It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Super Yoda!" The Toyota Venza is one of those cars that was just too clever for its own good. The idea was to create a sort of luxury lifestyle vehicle for people with grandkids, or 1.2 teenagers. It offered the functionality of a station wagon, the stance of a CUV, and a luxury Toyota Prius interior. Truth be told, the Venza is more confused than Bruce Jenner. But, at the same time, it's as smart as Bruce/Caitlyn's publicist. So let's wade through the contradictions and see what it's all about...

In the world of family sedans, it pays to be different. No, you have to be different. Otherwise, people would just buy another Camry. To that end, Nissan sent their 7th-generation Maxima to the gym, and it emerged as a muscle-bound "4-Door Sports Car" (that's what the 4DSC sticker means). Granted, the 2009–2014 Nissan Maxima won't outdrag an M3, or outhandle a Quattro. But it will outclass a Camry just sitting still, which makes it one beater that's hard to beat...